Current Affairs Ukraine

[Tennessee Blue Mike]

No doubt about that, the line was the US didnt want to give them missiles that they can fire into Crimea so not to provoke a Russian response. There's been UK Storm Shadows and French SCALP missiles raining down on Crimea, I havent seen London or Paris being hit in response.

The reason for the US hesitation is far more likely that Russian (and therefore China) radars will be able to track ATACMS flight paths, even though they are randomised in the last few mins) and potentially workout a defence against them down the line.

Great post especially the last paragraph.

 

[Tennessee Blue Mike]

Sorry, what does that mean

Clearing the throat with purpose.

 

[Mutzo Nutzo]

No doubt about that, the line was the US didnt want to give them missiles that they can fire into Crimea so not to provoke a Russian response. There's been UK Storm Shadows and French SCALP missiles raining down on Crimea, I havent seen London or Paris being hit in response.

The reason for the US hesitation is far more likely that Russian (and therefore China) radars will be able to track ATACMS flight paths, even though they are randomised in the last few mins) and potentially workout a defence against them down the line.

The reason for the hesitation in the US supplying ATACMS is that Ukraine specifically requested the M57 (500lb) GPS guided warhead version.

The US needs to maintain its own stock of this variant as it waits for the PrSM to come on-line (this is the replacement for ATACMS).

They also have to satisfy existing export orders of the M57 and can only produce 500 per year apparently.

They do have a shed load of M39/M39A1 warheads (cluster bomblets), so these are the ones that will probably be shipped to Ukraine.

Either way the HIMARS/M270 launch platforms will require a software/firmware upgrade in order to support ATACMS.

 

[Noisy noise annoys]

The reason for the hesitation in the US supplying ATACMS is that Ukraine specifically requested the M57 (500lb) GPS guided warhead version.

The US needs to maintain its own stock of this variant as it waits for the PrSM to come on-line (this is the replacement for ATACMS).

They also have to satisfy existing export orders of the M57 and can only produce 500 per year apparently.

They do have a shed load of M39/M39A1 warheads (cluster bomblets), so these are the ones that will probably be shipped to Ukraine.

Either way the HIMARS/M270 launch platforms will require a software/firmware upgrade in order to support ATACMS.

Amazing knowledge - I wont ask where it comes from, though I am desperate to know...

 

[Noisy noise annoys]

Clearing the throat with purpose.

Very good

 

[Mutzo Nutzo]

Amazing knowledge - I wont ask where it comes from, though I am desperate to know...

Bloke down the pub told me

 

[Noisy noise annoys]

Bloke down the pub told me

Thats cool.

Awaits DM

 

[Rita_Poon]

I'll have to plead the fifth

you took peteblue's old job didn't you....?

 

[Tennessee Blue Mike]

Bloke down the pub told me

Taps nose* Say no more squire.

Seriously though amazing dialogue.

 

[COYBL25]

Bloke down the pub told me

You mean it wasn’t your mates on Skype ?

 

[Spadge Vernacular]

 

[TommyDavo]

Bloke down the pub told me

That’s the last you get from me

 

[dublinbluenose]

Limited number will likely be 100+ with more to come.



The cluster munitions warhead actually makes a lot of sense, they wouldn't be used on infantry but are ideal for taking out something like an S400 system. Thousands of tungsten balls flying througb the radar systems

 

[TommyDavo]

Bloke down the pub told me

I do find this knowledge fascinating like many others. Of course you could be talking absolute bollox but I’m on the hook

 

[dublinbluenose]

The reason for the hesitation in the US supplying ATACMS is that Ukraine specifically requested the M57 (500lb) GPS guided warhead version.

The US needs to maintain its own stock of this variant as it waits for the PrSM to come on-line (this is the replacement for ATACMS).

They also have to satisfy existing export orders of the M57 and can only produce 500 per year apparently.

They do have a shed load of M39/M39A1 warheads (cluster bomblets), so these are the ones that will probably be shipped to Ukraine.

Either way the HIMARS/M270 launch platforms will require a software/firmware upgrade in order to support ATACMS.

I'd have asked for them as well if I was Zelensky.

I was sure I read Lockheed Martin had a warehouse of about 1000 of the originals that would've been used during Desert Storm that the US DoD were going to decommission. Presumably this is the version you're suggesting.